Emotional Kaleidoscope
by cxenon
Summary: A traumatised man very rarely possesses a sunny disposition; thoughts no normal man could have can worm their way into his mind, warping him and leaving him... vulnerable. Batman wants to end crime, sometimes obsessed with curbing it; mostly, though, he can't live without it, and only another brave soul can save him from damnation.
1. Chapter 1 Fear The Bat

**AN: This story evolved out of a wish to make Batman more 'Batman'. Some stories don't make him 'Batman' enough, so suffice to say, I decided to write a piece on the Goddamn Batman. Some inspiration from the All-Star series (never knew why people didn't like the Batman there… I like him better as a sadist)**

**Note that Batman is early in his career.**

The dark figure stood atop the summit of the tallest building in Gotham, eyes searching the streets for a sign. He was hoping the criminals gathered enough courage to come out tonight, because he was getting bored, and if there was one thing he hated, it was being bored.

Behind him was lit the trademark symbol of Wayne Enterprises, a huge 'W' that shone radiantly out into the night, battling for dominance with the encroaching darkness of night; Batman wondered for a moment whether his father would be proud, seeing his son dressed in an outlandish costume and preying upon nightly criminal activities. Draped in a long, thick cape and crowned with two jutting appendages upon his head, the Batman finally found what he was looking for; curling his lips upward into a caricature of a grin he leapt off the building and spread his cape out behind him in one swift motion.

_Finally they come. I was beginning to think I was having an effect on them._

The Batman swooped down in a precarious nosedive, losing himself in the rush of air and the buffeting winds; he aimed himself at an obscure alley, one amongst many that branched out from the dirty, littered streets of the city.

_It's almost as if Gotham was built to hide criminals. _Batman thought mirthlessly.

As a cement roof rushed up to meet his face, the Batman allowed his cape to balloon out behind him, curbing his daredevil descent and cushioning his impact.

Booted feet met the hard surface as the Batman landed, and he crept up to the edge of the roof, silently observing the drama unfold beneath him; muscles tensed and slitted eyes narrowed as he readied himself for combat.

"... C'mon, take the money from him! We never know when the Batman will appear..."

Batman's eyebrows arched behind his cowl. Evidently, his reputation had preceded him.

The man who had uttered the warning was a short pudgy man. _The kind who would betray his accomplices to save his own skin_. Batman mused. The man's eyes darted all around, and it was obvious that he was positively dreading the Dark Knight's appearance.

If it had been another day, the Batman might have counted the exact number of thugs he would battle. He would have patiently observed his enemies, silently making backup plans for any possible occurrence, no matter that such fodder did not have the slightest chance of injuring him.

Not today, however. Batman was not in the mood for such precise calculation; tonight he only felt the urge to submerge himself in violence, and had no wish to diminish his pleasure. A scuffle broke out between the petty thieves, no doubt due in part to the pudgy man's cowardly emission, and Batman wondered whether they might end up doing his work for him.

Batman silently dropped down to ground level, facing his targets stoically. The group of men were an assortment of low lives, arguing pitifully in front of the cowering old man they had sought to mug. Walking up to the group, he put one gloved hand upon a particularly tall and muscular male who was in the middle of a tirade directed at his partners.

"… Shut up, Joe! I let you come out tonight, so don't go chickening out on me here; we just get the wallet and scram! He'll never find–" He never quite finished his sentence, because the next minute, he was clutching at his face and screaming in agony.

Batman exploded into a flurry of movement, smashing his fist into the downed man's face then snapping his elbow out in a head strike that knocked another out cold. With deadly accuracy, he let fly his fists upon the remaining men, flooring them with debilitating groin-strikes and liver-shots.

Within seconds the alley was silent, and Batman snorted derisively, disappointed that he had not been afforded more resistance. Giving the cringing old man a withering glare that sent him running, Batman began the task of slowly trussing up the unconscious would-be criminals… before he halted.

Another grin passed over the Dark Knight's features, although any who witnessed it might have likened it closer to a grimace; it was a quiet night, so perhaps he could have some fun…

* * *

When I regained my senses, I could see nothing but an infinite blackness. Immediately, I panicked and struggled with all my might.

Something bound my arms and legs, and I couldn't move them, nor was I able to talk; forcing myself to calm down, I tried to remember my name…

Yes, my name was Joseph, and I work as a truck driver at… the Gotham Pier. I tried to recall more of what happened, but the pounding in my head made that nigh impossible.

Stilling myself, I became aware that I was in a particularly windy place, and not for the first time I wondered what I could have done to end up like this.

I was promptly jolted out of my reverie when my ears picked up a guttural voice. It took a moment before I recognised the words that were growled out.

"_So you're awake._"

I felt something being removed from my mouth, and then I found that I could speak again. I tried to keep myself calm, but anybody could have picked up the fearful quiver of my voice. "W-who are you! Oh god… I can't see anything! Am I blind?"

"_Quiet maggot! I will give you back your sight._"

I felt the pressure lift from my forehead, but was not even slightly relieved to see that it had been my captor that was covering my eyes.

I admit I was a little scared at the time.

"Hey dude, what are you- AAAAAAAHHHH!"

* * *

The Batman laughed. It was a horrible grating sound, guttural in its utterance and unpleasant to hear. With a single gloved hand he held the short pudgy man over the edge of the roof, cackling amusedly at the high-pitched scream emitted by his victim.

"_You broke the law. I shall break you in return._" Batman growled.

The man struggled futilely against the nylon ropes that bound him, catching his breath as he tried to catch a glimpse of his tormentor.

Batman frowned. His victim wasn't showing enough fear. Letting his grip slacken, he allowed the man to drop straight down from the top of the Wayne Enterprises tower.

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

Batman chortled in amusement once again, shooting his grappling hook down to catch the falling man. The line went taut, and the criminal's descent was halted; nevertheless the screaming continued, and Batman basked in the cacophonous chorus.

Slowly, he hefted the man back up to the roof and looked him in his eye. Batman was pleased to see an all-encompassing fear in his eyes. "_You injured an innocent man for money. Now you shall pay._"

A look of abstract horror marred the man's features, but he managed to stutter out, "N-n-no… Please… no more… w-w-why…"

Batman frowned; the man could still talk. Reaching down into his utility belt, he took out a gas canister, one filled with the infamous 'fear-gas' that a recent nemesis, Scarecrow, employed. Batman had been fascinated at the ingenious hallucination-inducing gas, and had decided to synthesise its compounds for use against his own foes.

In his hands was an upgraded version of the fear-toxin, one that was more potent, and far faster-acting than Scarecrow's own invention.

Growling deeply, Batman emptied the entire canister in his victim's face, deeply excited at the ensuing effects.

The man coughed and spit, and for a moment the Dark Knight wondered if his weapon had worked… until the screaming started anew. The man's eyes widened and he hyperventilated, crying his throat hoarse as he battled with a vision of an immensely huge bat eating him alive.

Batman laughed in delight and threw the man on to the floor, laying into him with hard punches to his face. The pain only heightened the man's fear, and he choked on his own spit, vomiting all over the floor.

"_Your fear!_" Batman laughed. Then he looked down at the screaming man, and for a moment remembered that same cowardly look upon the murderer that started it all. The murderer who had killed his only parents, the murderer that had shot out of fear, the murderer that had-

"_Your fear!_" Batman roared again, this time seething with menacing anger. Clenching his fist, he broke the man's nose and dislocated his shoulder, before he was brought back to reality by the wail of police sirens.

_More people to punish… more fear to spread._

Batman shouldered the wailing mugger, planning to drop him off on his way to the next crime scene.

* * *

_Dammit Selina, this is not a good time to get caught!_

Dressed in tights and getting caught by half of Gotham's police force was not what Catwoman had in mind when she went for a relaxing stroll. All she wanted to do was to get that goddamn diamond, and get out of the damned museum before anybody had the chance to smoke her out.

Unfortunately for her, security had been a little tighter than she had expected. Proximity sensors had responded to her presence by alerting the entire city with an impossibly loud alarm, and Catwoman was currently snaking her way through the vents in an effort to get out of the trap she had inadvertently set for herself.

_Damn… this is tight. But I'm almost there…_

"…and you, my little baby," Catwoman cooed, taking out the diamond she had so painstakingly snatched to marvel at its qualities. "You'll soon see the light…"

Catwoman grunted as the walls to her sides became narrower as she progressed; it would not do to get stuck just when she was making good her escape.

After what seemed like an eternity in the dank, dusty confines of the ventilation system, Catwoman heaved a sigh of relief as she slipped out by the back of the museum. She could already hear the police dogs barking and the loudspeakers screeching at the disappearance of the treasure… _her treasure._

_Looks like it all worked out in the end._

Smirking to herself, Catwoman scaled the adjacent brick wall with ease, making her way to the opposite rooftop leisurely.

"_A woman._"

The utterance made Catwoman jump, and for a moment wondered whether her senses were playing a trick upon her. She looked around frantically, but could see no sign of another soul.

Slapping herself lightly, Catwoman chuckled nervously. "Come now, Selina. Have some faith in yourself; nobody's ever caught you before. It's not like the _Batman_ will come or anything."

Catwoman had heard stories about the Batman, but she knew it was all a load of bull. After all, she doubted anybody had the aptitude to 'crush cars with his bare hands' or 'fly like a bat'. It was simply a superstition, and she wasn't about to spend any time mulling over the existence of a _Batman._

Deciding not to test her luck, the 'professional' thief crept away stealthily.

_Not like he can see me any-_

Catwoman bumped into a solid object, causing her to lose her footing and stumble to the ground. She quickly got to her feet eyes open and alert. In front of her stood perhaps the most ridiculously dressed man she had ever seen.

He happened to be dressed like a bat.

He stood there, stock-still, as though he were a statue; the uncomfortable silence lengthened, and Catwoman weighed her options.

_Hopefully, he's just some kook that gets off of wearing a bat-suit. I could risk kicking him in the nuts… or I could make a run for it – he's unlikely to be able to catch me._

Catwoman chuckled softly. Deepening her voice into a sultry purr, the thief slinked closer to the masked man, "Hey big man… what are you doing up… HERE!"

Raising her voice slightly, Catwoman aimed a swift kick at the man's groin, feeling it impact with satisfying force.

Only it evidently hurt her shin more than the man before her.

_What does he wear… a groin guard?_

"Fuck! Who the hell are you…?" Catwoman cursed, feeling her heart rate rising.

"_I'm the Goddamn Batman._" Was all he answered before the hardest fist she ever felt planted itself in her face.

**AN: Please review! Just a warning though, updates might not be regular.**

**I really appreciate your time!**


	2. Chapter 2 Mental Morbidity

**AN: Thanks for the one review! Hopefully this chapter can encourage more feedback…**

Selina awoke with a start to a throbbing headache. She snapped her eyes open and immediately sprang to her feet - or tried to; any attempt to move her feet was hindered by thick cords binding her limbs to a metal chair.

"_I've been waiting for you to wake up._" Came the deep growl. Selina shuddered in apprehension, but willed herself to keep calm nonetheless.

Above her hung a single light that swung lazily from side to side, illuminating the darkness; the Batman, dressed in pure black, stood before her, imposing and exuding pure dominance. Emotionless white slits met her black pupils, intimidating and terrifying in their unmoving vigil.

"You know, it's not nice to keep a girl tied up..." Selina started.

"_Silence!_" Roared the Batman. "_It has come to my attention that you have been stealing valuable artifacts and pawning them off to a specific individual. I will ask this once: who is paying for your services?_"

Selina couldn't help but wonder why the man insisted on speaking that way. His voice was little more than a growl and was laced with a rage Selina had no wish to provoke; this Batman was clearly unhinged, and clearly had no qualms about using violence.

Biting back a playful quip about the Batman's bluntness, Selina answered as seriously as she could, "I work independent of demand. I steal things, they buy-"

A gloved fist impacted with Selina's temple, and her vision swam. "_You lie, 'Catwoman'! Now answer me!_"

Selina shook her head, feeling the fear rise in her belly. She had to get out of this somehow, or things might turn out very bad. "... I... It's just some small-time gang, some random-"

Again, studded knuckles smashed into her cheek, drawing blood. A second strike caught her in the gut, and she bent over, gagging. "I-I swear! I d-don't know what you want..."

Batman brought his face lower, using a finger to tilt Selina's chin upwards; again her eyes meet his, only she couldn't tell what they looked like, because they were secreted away behind those damnably opaque lenses. He spoke again, but this time he lost the artificial gruffness and enunciated his words softly, "_I have the whole night to play with you, 'Catwoman'._"

* * *

Morning came too soon, almost taking the Batman by surprise. A sliver of light filters in through the grimy windows, the weak golden rays coming to rest on dusty machinery and empty crates; the abandoned factory suddenly seemed less inviting, and the Dark Knight sighed, wishing not for the first time that the Night's soft embrace lasted longer.

He glanced at his captor; droplets of coagulated blood marked the floor, and she was still and unmoving, unconscious from the Batman's ministrations. The woman was strong, unlike the others who broke and begged with gross indignity the moment he visited them with the slightest pains.

For a moment he let himself watch the female draw soft, laboured breaths, a permanent grimace upon her bruised features; she had admitted to working with a dozen different mafia bosses during the course of the night, half of whom he reckoned were fabricated. Still, he managed to glean information on a dozen different illegal shipments ranging from arms to drugs to human slaves; tonight, he would personally confirm the accuracy of her information, but for now he had to get back to the Wayne Manor to make preparations.

Taking out a batarang, Batman cut the ropes binding Catwoman; he would allow her to go free, let her get more information, then he would come back and visit the terrors of the Night upon her.

Even the Batman had to agree the thought made him more than a bit aroused.

* * *

_Man's World is a mistake, an aberration. Sometimes I wonder whether the whole world's gone to hell, then I remember my homeland, Thermyscira, and I remember why I am here._

_Yes, there is hope, because hope is what we embodiment, hope is the gift we heroes give to Man._

_Still, I cannot help but wonder. I bring myself down to the mortals, I walk the streets like the common man, and I see the beggars, hunger in their eyes, wishing, hoping for some kind stranger to help them._

_It is a cool evening, and I find myself wandering the bright streets of Metropolis in a simple overcoat; the breeze caresses my ebony tresses, and I cannot help but sigh in contentment. The pale yellow light of the streetlamps battle away the darkness, and truly does Metropolis seem like the city that never sleeps._

_But darkness is never far from the light; I can see the dark, dank alleyways, their denizens staring up at me with fear and amazement in their eyes. I meet their eyes, and I can only sympathise. I see old women, young children, sleeping in the filth, and yet not one person spares a glance their direction, nobody wants to burden themselves with helping their fellow man._

_Even dressed in common human clothes, I do not stoop to apathetic human sentiment. I shall take the initiative and show the mortals how things should be done._

_With confident steps I approach the darkness, and I put the most caring expression I can muster on my face. I walk closer to the withered woman clutching to her son's tired shoulders, my arms outstretched._

_But they do not want my sympathy. Even before I can reach them, they shy away, whether due to fear or animosity I do not know; I continue towards them anyway, because persistence is ever a quality of a sister of Thermyscira; they quicken their pace, as do I._

_All of a sudden, a rank stench assails my nostrils. I look all around me to find myself surrounded by smelly men. At first, I do not understand, then I feel their lustful stares and hear their quickening breaths – and I am disgusted._

_A terrible rage overcame me, and for a moment I was a god, no longer bound by mortal fetters. The men pounced on me, but I simply swatted them off like the flies they were. I raised my hand, intent on beheading these monstrosities that dared attack me, and I would have if not for the flash of red and blue that gripped my forearm._

"Diana! Snap out of it… Diana! Wonder Woman!"

_I raised my eyes, and there, cloaked in all his glory was Superman, blue eyes twinkling merrily. With nary a change in his demeanour he levitated higher into the sky, bringing me with him and leaving the scrambling dogs below me._

"_Unhand me, Clark! I need to teach them a le-" I began, but the man interrupted me midway._

"Don't call me Clark, Diana. I was lucky to come when I did, if I was a little later, you might have done something you might have regretted." _Superman said. He let go of me, but his eyes never left my face. Oh, how I wished to speed down and slaughter every last one of the cretins! I surely would not have regretted it, but I stayed my hand out of respect for Clark._

"_Fine." I managed._

"You sure you're okay, Diana…?" _Superman asked, tenderly even. My expression softened, and I nodded imperceptibly. The man was the epitome of strength, and was one of the few that I trusted._

_And there was something more, an affection that had not yet come to fruition._

"There's a League meeting at the Pier tomorrow! Same time!" _He hollered after me. I had to fight a growing smile even as I parted ways with him._

* * *

Night had once again descended upon Gotham, and a certain Caped Crusader was itching to get back out on the streets. A demonic smile christened the features of the Batman, and once again he was on the prowl, daring any man to challenge him.

Exhaustion weighed down upon his shoulders, and his steps were perhaps a little too heavy; nevertheless, he felt _alive._ Four days without a wink of sleep, and yet the demon within him laughed and played still, unwilling to relinquish his body and filling him with unholy vigour.

_The rooftop smells of smoke and blood, the wind is dank and salty, reminiscent of the sea; right before me lies the Docks, where I'll start my search for the arms shipment Catwoman so lovingly alerted me to._

_What's that? I hear a woman scream. I'm tempted to leave it as it is, wondering for a moment whether it was but a rabid rodent startling a jumpy female; the thought is discarded as soon as it is processed, but perhaps the very fact that I could think up such an unlikely reason is a testament to the sleep deprivation I am suffering from._

_Did I say I was tired? I don't need to sleep. I'm Batman. This is Gotham, my city, my people, my jurisdiction._

The Batman chuckled slightly, darting across the roof and falling over the edge into the alleyway. _Gotham has too many of these dank recesses, too many dark corners for the cancer to grow. Someday, I have to change that._

The Batman saw the three men, smelling of alcohol and arousal, brandishing kitchen knives accosting a woman. Several bruises marred her face, and she was cowering and shivering in fear.

The Dark Knight descended silently, immediately smashing his forearm into the hand of the first knife-wielding rapist; a satisfying crack followed by a howl of pain rewarded Batman's action, and he let fly a fist into the groin of the second offender.

The third watched on in rapt horror, clutching on to his little knife and shivering in his worn boots. The Batman looked at him and _smiled, _sprinting towards him and snapping his forearm in half.

"AAAAAAAAAAAARGH!" The rapist screamed. "I can't feel it… oh god… I can't feel my ha-"

"_Shut up! Shut up maggot! I'm half-tempted to kill you myself!_" Batman roared, spittle flying. The criminal quieted wisely, streams of tears flowing down his cheeks. With a grunt, the Batman smashed his head into a brick wall, knocking him out cold. Then, he turned to the woman, who was by now staring up at him, dumbfounded.

"_Take a cab home, woman. You should know by now how dangerous the streets of Gotham can be; or do you want me to tie you, naked, to a flagpole?_" Batman snarled.

The woman stuttered out a response, one the Batman did not deign to listen to. The night would not last forever, however much he wished it, and he had work to do.

* * *

The white-haired man reclined in his chair, sipping his coffee and staring out the window. The room bobbed slightly as small waves crashed into the cruiser, and Falcone had to fight off waves of vertigo; he had never been good with boats, even the high-class ones like these. Tonight, however, he was due for an important negotiation with a client, and he figured he could take two hours on a boat.

Falcone knew he was old, but the dynasty… _his_ dynasty… it all depended on him. His son… he wasn't ready for the world, not yet; so until then, the old man would weather any storm, fight against any ailment, to keep his empire strong.

The man glanced at his wristwatch, noting the fact that his client was ten minutes late. Flanking him were his bodyguards, tough, intelligent soldiers that did what they were told; they were getting restless, and it spoke volumes about the situation.

"Get somebody out there and check-" Falcone began.

The door slammed open, and a figure in a brown overcoat stumbled in. Falcone's bodyguards immediately took a step forward, drawing their arms and training them upon the intruder.

The figure coughed and retched, vomiting all over the floor; a trail of red fluid puddled upon the floor, and the man began screaming with abandon.

"Shut him up." Falcone ordered. Scarcely had he barked out the order before the man was riddled with bullets, the sharp retort of the pistols filling the room.

Then the lights went out.

A disembodied voice floated from the open doorway, stiflingly menacing. "_You scum who kill your own, I come to teach you the meaning of fear!_"

Unimpressed, Falcone simply took another sip out of his half-emptied cup. "Spare me the theatrics. Who do you think you are?"

No answer came.

Fuming slightly, Falcone stood, groping around in the darkness, "The 'Batman'. What do you want? You can't scare me…"

Silence was the only response.

"Answer me goddammit! King, Baron, kill him!" Falcone snarled.

"We can't see him too, boss."

"Yeah, we ca- URK!"

Sickening thuds echoed throughout the room, punctuated by a brief series of muzzle-flashes and the sound of cracking bone.

Beads of sweat began to form upon Falcone's forehead, and he tried in vain to get to the exit, stumbling over the limp bodies of his men in the process.

"What the fuck do you want you damned maniac!"

Slowly, Falcone reached for his own pistol, a .44 magnum he never thought he would ever use. Just as he got the weapon out, a hand seized him roughly, and he cried out in alarm, firing his pistol haphazardly.

The muzzle flashes illuminated the room briefly, and Falcone's breath caught in his throat; white-slitted eyes bored straight into him with terrifying intensity.

"_I want you to feel fear._"

* * *

"_HAHAHAHAHA!_" Batman laughed maniacally. Over and over again, he played the moment when the gang lord pissed himself at the sight of his face… it was priceless!

The Dark Knight flitted from rooftop to rooftop at breakneck speed, an unconscious man in his grasp. It would be another night of fun, another night of practicing his '_interrogation techniques_' with this so-called mafia boss. Tonight, he would see just how tough the underworld's best was.

_It's great being the Goddamn Batman._

* * *

"It has come to our attention that this 'Batman' has been using excessive force to subdue criminals. Today, I have gathered the Justice League to discuss how we might deal with him."

A flash of red alerted the gathered members of Earth's greatest heroes, the Justice League, to an arriving teammate.

"The Flash is here! What did I miss, huh, Supes?" quipped the World's Fastest Man.

Superman sighed, albeit a little amused at his hyperactive teammate's antics. "Greetings to you, Flash. As I said, we are gathered to discuss how to deal with the 'Batman' because-"

A firm commanding voice interrupted him, decidedly feminine in origin. "I don't have all day Clark. According to reports, this man is nothing more than some insane psychopath; most of his… _victims_ end up in the hospital rather than prison! He's a loose cannon, and it doesn't help that people lump him in the same category as us! I say we go to Gotham and apprehend him."

Superman nodded; he had learnt recently that it did no good to try to fight Wonder Woman's often hot-headed approach to situations. "What about you, Hal? What does Green Lantern have to say?"

The man in question levitated alongside Superman, glowing with an ethereal green light that emanated power. _Willpower._ "What do I think…?"

An uncomfortable silence descended upon the party.

"Well… my opinion is that we shouldn't judge the Batman. We all know Gotham is a problem area, so maybe he comes off as a bit… _heavy-handed…_"

Wonder Woman could no longer contain herself, saying indignantly, "Heavy-handed? Have you _read_ reports on the Batman, Hal? He leaves petty crooks psychologically scarred for life! Some of them are crippled so bad they will never walk again; the man is nothing more than a rabid beast that should be put down! It is only in accordance with the laws of _Man's World _that I don't behead him myself!"

Superman put a hand on the incensed warrior's shoulder, trying to calm her down. "Easy, Diana; I understand your viewpoint, but we must be absolutely sure, before we can make correct judgement. Actually, we don't _have _the authority to make judgement; we will apprehend the Batman ourselves if we need to, but remember: it's all for the greater good.

Flash chipped in, ever the optimist, saying, "Who knows? Maybe he would turn out to be a nice guy… and then we could invite him on the team!"

"Or… we could put him on the team anyway." Green Lantern offered. "That way, we could better control his brutal ways…"

"Enough with the chatter. I will go alone to Gotham to confront this _Batman_, and I will decide whether he is fit to be part of the League or not." Wonder Woman finished.

"Let's not be hasty, Diana. I'm sure Hal would be more than happy to go instead-" Superman started.

Wonder Woman simply stared at him. "I am going, Clark. I cannot stand by and see this _beast_ torture men and women, no matter their supposed criminal inclinations."

* * *

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! N-no more! I swear, I told you e-everything!" Falcone screamed.

The Batman sneered, bringing his fist up and impacting it upon the man's hand, breaking bone and cartilage. "_You stuttered. Now tell me everything about 'Maroni', and leave nothing out._"

"B-but I told you about him already! The only shipment he's expecting is a slave-cruiser from Ethiopia due next week! I swear to God-"

"_There is no God, Falcone. Alright, I believe you, not that that's going to make things less painful._" Glowered the Batman.

"NOOO! Wait! There's more… Luthor! Governor Lex Luthor!" Falcone babbled.

Batman halted for a moment.

"H-he promised me and the others money, lots of it-"

"_Typical…_"

"-he promised to exempt us from the law! He promised-"

"_I don't give a DAMN what he promised you! Now tell me what he wanted you fuckers to do!_" Batman shouted.

"-He wanted us to continue hoarding arms! He told all of us to gather all the firearms we could and hire as many people as possible! I don't know what the hell he's doing, but he told us to wait forAAAAAAGH OH GOD-*"

By then Batman had heard enough. With two hard strikes he brutalised Falcone's face, breaking the man's jaw and knocking him out. Simmering in anger, Batman took off into the night.

Governor or not, Luthor was interfering with _his _city, and that meant he was challenging the Batman.

* * *

Selina groaned in pain, icing her tender cheeks and lying on her creaking bed. The Batman had tortured her mercilessly, and even now she shuddered to think about meeting him again. She reckoned the psychopath was probably 'interrogating' some other poor sod that moment, and not for the first time cursed his name.

She would rest and lick her wounds for now; as far as she knew, the Batman didn't know where she lived, so she still had the chance of escaping his clutches.

With a groan, Selina walked over to an old cupboard and opened it. Removing the false base from its bottom, she felt a wave of relief wash over her as she laid her eyes upon a small safe. The safe held all of her savings, a hefty sum by any estimate; very soon she would leave Gotham forever and live out her life somewhere less… depressing.

Carefully, she placed the false bottom back into place, and closed her cupboard… before turning and bumping into a glaring bat-symbol.

"_I've come to play with you, little cat._"

**AN: Please review! Tell me how I can improve it, but cut me some slack cause I don't have a beta!**


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